


my bad,

by kinomoto



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Genre: Alm is drunk, Alternate Universe - College/University, Celica has a cat, F/M, kind of, slight mention of alcohol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-09
Updated: 2019-08-09
Packaged: 2020-08-13 07:40:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20170612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kinomoto/pseuds/kinomoto
Summary: A man, around her age, is sitting on her couch petting Noodle while eating a bowl of cereal. He stares at her, green eyes wide as he’s frozen midchew, traitorous cat happily purring in his lap. They look at each other for a solid minute. Her pepper spray is up and ready.He finally swallows, breaking the silence with an intelligent, “Who are you?”“I should be the one asking that,” Celica takes a step closer, phone close to her chest, “to the stranger inmyapartment.”





	my bad,

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by a [meet-ugly prompt.](https://perfectlyrose.tumblr.com/post/112699910904/tokiosunset-people-should-do-more-meet-ugly-and) i stayed up way too late writing this. woohoo! please enjoy this college au celicalm.

Celica wakes up to the sound of her front door opening. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she grasps around the nightstand for her phone, yanking it unceremoniously off the charger to read the time.

Three in the morning.

Another thud from the living room, followed by a grunt of pain.

Celica is more alert now. Normally, late night (early morning?) noises aren’t unusual in a shared apartment. It wouldn’t be weird at all if it weren’t for the fact that Mae went on a weekend trip with Boey earlier this morning. Maybe it’s empty apartment jitters-- paranoia, bumps in the night seeming scarier than normal. 

Thankfully, she’s not completely alone. Her hand reaches out for the furry familiarity of her cat, hoping to calm herself down enough to fall back asleep. The spot in the bed where the orange tabby sleeps is vacant. She pats around the covers just in case the feline moved to another spot. Noodle is nowhere to be found and Celica feels anxiety clench at her heart. 

Right on cue, cabinets open and close, then an unfamiliar voice utters an, “Oh!”

Fear and adrenaline have completely overtaken her mind at this point. Celica throw the covers off, grabbing her phone before she stumbles over to her bedroom door to grab her lanyard. Of course tonight would be the night. The one weekend she has the apartment to herself and a burglar breaks in. 

Fingers scramble for the pepper spray dangling on the keychain mirroring the erratic heartbeat in her chest.

_Oh god, please, please let this be a nightmare._

The light from the living room bleeds into the bedroom hallway. If she wasn’t terrified, Celica would laugh at what a fucking idiot this thief was. Instead, with pepper spray in one hand and phone in the other, she takes a deep breath and steps out to confront the attacker.

A man, around her age, is sitting on her couch petting Noodle while eating a bowl of cereal. He stares at her, green eyes wide as he’s frozen midchew, traitorous cat happily purring in his lap. They look at each other for a solid minute. Her pepper spray is up and ready.

He finally swallows, breaking the silence with an intelligent, “Who are you?”

“I should be the one asking that,” Celica takes a step closer, phone close to her chest, “to the stranger in _my_ apartment.”

“Y-your…” the young man looks around the apartment, then down at Noodle, “Oh. I was wondering when Faye got a cat.” Another pause as he absorbs the information, then it hits him. “Oh-- oh my god. This isn’t Faye’s apartment-- holy shit I just broke into a random person’s house-- please, wait-- don’t spray that I don’t want to hurt your cat! I mean I deserve it-- oh my god I’m such a drunk idiot--”

“Not only did you break into my apartment, but you’re also drunk?” Celica steps forward, pepper spray still raised, “And you’re eating my food--”

“I’m so sorry,” he gently sets the cat and bowl aside to stand, arms up in apology and defense. “I was walking back from a party and remembered that my friend’s place was nearby and I thought, ‘Hey, Faye has a place nearby,’ so I somehow got in-- I would, uh, check your door I think the doorknob is janky-- and I got hungry so--”

He deflates, sheepishly carding his fingers through his green hair, “I’m really, truly sorry for scaring you.”

If he wasn’t an intruder, Celica would totally think that he was cute. Under different circumstances. At a reasonable hour. 

_Mew!___

_ _The two of them turn to look at a needy Noodle pawing at the young man for attention. She nudges his hand (is that a tattoo?) with her head until he pets her. His expression is soft as he showers the tabby with tender scratches._ _

_ _“...She’s never this friendly with strangers.”_ _

_ _He looks at her, somewhat surprised to hear her voice shift to a kinder tone. Celica turns away, embarrassed that he saw her amazed at her cat._ _

_ _“I never would’ve guessed.” he bends lower and lower, eventually sitting back down on the couch to properly pet the animal, “What’s her name?”_ _

_ _“It’s… Noodle.”_ _

_ _“Noodle,” he repeats, unfazed by the pasta nature of the name. “Hi Noodle, I’m Alm. Nyice to meet you.”_ _

_ _Celica snorts and Alm looks up, suddenly remembering what happened ten minutes earlier. “Oh man, I didn’t mean to be rude. I’m Alm.”_ _

_ _“I’m Celica. Glad I could put a name to the face.”_ _

_ _His smile is bright (gah, it’s cute). “Nice to meet you Celica-- ah, please don’t call the police. I really didn’t mean to…” Alm’s voice trails off as his focus turns entirely to the star of this evening’s events. “I mean, I understand, but…”_ _

_ _She really meant it when she said that Noodle isn’t normally this receptive of strangers. It took the cat a few months before she got used to Mae (much to the roommate’s chagrin), and even longer to Boey, who looked after the cat for a full week when Celica went off to a conference. It really must mean there was something about Alm that the feline could trust._ _

_ _For some reason, she finds herself sitting on the couch beside him, watching him happily run his hand down Noodle’s back in rhythmic strokes._ _

_ _“Are you a student? At VSU, I mean.”_ _

_ _She’s caught off guard at the small talk, but instinctively replies, “Yes.”_ _

_ _“Cool! Cool… yeah same!” Silence for some more pets, “What do you study?”_ _

_ _“I’m a junior pre-med student.”_ _

_ _“Me too! Not the med student part, but I’m a junior-- same year!”_ _

_ _“I’d expect a junior to know his way around campus after a party.”_ _

_ _He laughs. “You got me there. Wow, you’re pretty sassy, Celica. I thought you’d be a bit more prim and proper.”_ _

_ _“Well,” she tucks her red hair behind her ears, flustered at her verbal jab, “I may be in a dull area of study, but that doesn’t mean my wit is as well.”_ _

_ _Another laugh and he flashes a charming smile. “At least I can thank the party for letting me meet you, in an indirect sort of way.”_ _

_ _His smile is too bright-- she’s too tired for this, she thinks. The silence resumes, but it’s not awkward at all. It’s… comfortable. Celica watches him interact with Noodle some more, smiling ever so often when the orange tabby catches his hoodie strings that he wiggled around. _ _

_ _ _Growl…_ _ _

_ _They freeze. Alm looks away flustered, Celica blinks confused, and Noodle continues to bat at the strings._ _

_ _She cracks a smile, “Was… that your stomach?”_ _

_ _Another growl answers her question. Alm chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck._ _

_ _“I thought stealing my cereal would be enough--”_ _

_ _“Oh my god, I did that, didn’t I?”_ _

_ _She stands up, stretching the exhaustion out of her arms before heading towards the small kitchen, “How do you like your eggs?”_ _

_ _“Over easy-- wait you don’t have to make me breakfast. I literally broke in here. You should kick me out.”_ _

_ _“Do you want me to?”_ _

_ _He’s quiet while she grabs some eggs out of the fridge and heats up the pan. “Not really.”_ _

_ _Celica gives a little victory hum, “That’s what I thought,” before he can protest further, she adds, “I was going to whip up something anyway since I’m wide awake.”_ _

_ _“Alright…” she can see him from over the counter thoughtfully looking down at Noodle, who is now tuckered out and snoozing in his lap. _ _

_ _Sizzling fills the silence as the eggs fry in the pan. Alm sits on the couch, absentmindedly petting the cat as she moves around the kitchen, checking the rice to see if it’s still good and cutting up some spam._ _

_ _“At least, let me make it up to you,”_ _

_ _“Hm?” she looks up at locks eyes with Alm, whose expression serious causes her heart to skip a beat. Celica glances back down to the pan, unable to keep eye contact, and clears her throat. His eyes are so earnest. “Wh-- like I said, it’s fine.”_ _

_ _“No it’s not. I broke into your apartment. I scared you and I feel awful about it. I’ll pay off anything I need to if you find anything broken.”_ _

_ _“I’m better now, don’t worry--”_ _

_ _“I’m serious.” his tone surprises her, causing her to look back up, “Now you’re even making me breakfast after I went through your shelves like a bear out of hibernation. If you won’t let me pay you back, at least let me buy you lunch or something--”_ _

_ _“Alm,” the eggs are suddenly interesting, “... are you asking me on a date?”_ _

_ _His cheeks redden once he realizes the words that came out of his mouth. “Oh, I mean, oh my god I’m so sorry. I’m not trying to hit on you in your own home I--”_ _

_ _“Alm.”_ _

_ _Her voice stops his rambling. The sizzling pauses as she transfers the eggs to a plate, then resumes when she starts to cook the spam._ _

_ _“I’m free tomorrow at noon. Do you have anything in mind?”_ _

_ _He blinks and it takes Celica all her willpower not to giggle at his dumbfounded expression. He’s absolutely adorable. Alm’s face morphs into a shy smile and it’s her turn to blush._ _

_ _“Yeah, I think I do.”_ _

_ _“Okay. We can talk about it over breakfast. I’ll give you my number if we don’t figure it out then.”_ _

_ _“I suddenly can’t remember any restaurants in our general vicinity.” Alm grins at her laughter, relaxing into the couch as he lazily scratches Noodle’s head. For a stranger who broke into her house, he’s not bad._ _

_ _The sun peeks through the blinds as they share breakfast, talking in low, familiar tones as the cat sleeps a few feet away on the couch. _ _

_ _Maybe cute guys should stumble drunk into her apartment more often._ _

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on [twitter!](https://twitter.com/genkiprotag/)


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